Populist views in Europe: It’s not just the economy

Nationalist populism has become a major force in European politics. But while such populism has long been thought to have its roots in economic anxiety, a new analysis of Pew Research Center survey data suggests there are additional factors at play. Those who have a favorable opinion of populist parties […] Read more »

Is increasing diversity positive for the U.S.? A look at the partisan divide

According to a Gallup survey released on July 18, the American people now regard immigration as the single most important problem facing the country, and the share of the population expressing this view stands at the highest level ever recorded. This surge of concern crosses partisan lines: the share of […] Read more »

President Trump’s racially charged words dovetail with harsh policies

It started during the campaign. Donald Trump said “Islam hates us,” he called Mexicans “rapists,” and he tweeted a photo of a taco bowl to demonstrate his appreciation for Hispanic culture. As president, he said the crowd at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville included “some very fine people.” He […] Read more »

What if Trump’s Nativism Actually Hurts Him?

President Trump’s short-lived family separation policy extended the hard line on immigration he promoted during his presidential campaign. Many analysts believe that this strategy helped him win the election by politicizing latent nativist sentiment among white Americans. … Contrary to received wisdom, however, the immigration issue did not play to […] Read more »

Don’t Feed the Troll in the Oval Office

It is hardly news that President Trump has deliberately provoked liberal outrage, as a candidate and as president. But in case anyone is still wondering whether his inflammatory language is the result of design or impulse, recent comments from current and former White House strategists are revealing. Last month, an […] Read more »

GOP increasingly opposes legal — not just illegal — immigration

The firestorm over the separation of children from their undocumented parents at the border has almost completely overshadowed another milestone in the long-running national immigration debate: Opposition to legal, as well as illegal, migration is hardening into a bedrock principle of the Republican Party. CONT. Ronald Brownstein, CNN Read more »